Two years ago last weekend, I left three cats and two dogs at home and drove over to the Richmond SPCA to pick up three, five week old orphaned kittens. They were with us for a grand total of six weeks, or until they'd all reached a healthy two-pounds, were age-appropriately vaccinated and old enough to be spayed/neutered. It was harder work than I had bargained for - keeping those fuzz balls well fed, entertained and cleaned of food-crusted faces and
poo-crusted paws and butts. But because of that hard work, it was also one of the most rewarding (and wonderful) jobs I have ever experienced. I will never forget those babies, and am so thankful all three of them quickly found permanent, loving homes.
Since that first kitten fostering experience, there've been a few other feline comings and goings at my house. OK, they've all been comings (unless you count the vet visits), as follows:
July 2012:
Maddox - a nine-year-old, long-time Richmond SPCA resident - entered our home for a four-week foster. We failed.
He was adopted into our family permanently three weeks later.
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| Maddox: No, as a matter of fact, I'm never letting her go. |
October 2012:
Bertie (he would later be called) - a teenage kitten - showed up in our front yard, at night, yowling and desperate for human contact. After an exhaustive search for his owners, with no luck,
he never left.
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| Bertie: I love my big, honking, twin big brother. |
June 2013:
Bobby Flay O'Fish (oh yes, we did) - a tiny, just-weaned kitten - found himself in the middle of a busy, six-lane intersection, seconds before I came along in my car. He ran into a grassy shoulder; I pulled over, got out and grabbed him; he was feral and bit me hard; I swallowed tears of pain and tossed him in the back seat anyway, drove him home and began the weeks-long process of taming him enough to be considered adoptable. By the time that happened, he was super-bonded to Bertie and
already ours.
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Bobby Flay O'Fish: I love both my big, honking twin big brothers.
Plus my three, not so big and honking sisters, and those other two (who are staring at me from the floor) with the broken meows. |
So you see, when today's forecast is 100% chance of foster-kitten showers (as it has been in my area for several weeks, with no end in sight), unlike two years ago, I'll be stuck inside like a water dog who wants nothing more than to go out and get wet! (So, that metaphor needs some work. In the meantime, please refrain from imagining a bunch of labradors running around getting pelted by cherubic foster kittens falling from the sky.)
I hate that helpless feeling, y'all! So, that's why -
because the kittens need us, and June is Adopt-A-Cat Month - I'm making a multi-part plea:
- If you've never fostered kittens before and think it might be fun (it is), check with your local shelter(s) to see if you can help!
- If you've thought about adopting a kitten (or cat) but are nervous about it "fitting into" your lifestyle, consider fostering first (if it isn't for you, that's okay, but in the meantime, you will have saved a kitty (or two)'s life!
- If you can't foster (or adopt) a kitty, but want to help, SHARE this post (or tell your friends who are thinking about getting a cat)! Or, consider donating much-needed kitten-fostering supplies (towels, blankets, beds, litter boxes, carriers, toys, bowls, food, kitten formula, etc.) to your local shelter/rescue! Many of them have wish lists posted on their websites.
Thank you from the most bottom of bottoms of my heart!
But wait! You can't go away without SEEING those precious little fuzzy kitten balls I mentioned at the top of this post! They're named after Spongebob Squarepants, Patrick and Sandy, even! You guys! LOOOOOK!
It Rained Foster Kittens...and I Caught Some!
And so I did...all of the above. ;)
Now, before I bust wide open from the anticipation, please meet my three itty bitty, five week old foster kitties!
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| On my lap ☺ |
Although not the names they were given at the shelter, we're affectionately referring to them (L to R in top photo) as Bob (teeny little tabby boy), Patrick (large tabby boy) and Sandy (long-haired dilute tortoiseshell/tabby, aka torbie girl).
Because they are so little and too young to be fully vaccinated or treated for biting parasites, we've set up a kitten "apartment" in my master bathroom, which can be completely closed off from our other pets and is relatively easy to clean.
The kittens seem to think the arrangement is pretty cool.
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| Patrick |
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| teeny Bob |
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| Sandy |
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| teeny Bob totally fell asleep while at the watering hole ☺ |
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| Kitten Pile (squee!) |
In case you're wondering about how the rest of the animals are handing this, they are (for now) completely oblivious. They haven't seen the kittens and have expressed no desire to break into the bathroom. At some point (before the kittens go back to the SPCA), though, I'll try a supervised meeting with the dogs (one dog at a time). I think it'll be good socialization for both species. (And besides, Jon Farleigh was best friends with kitten Lulabelle way back in the day.)
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Can you believe he was ever that small?
(He's at least three times bigger than her now.) |
Over-the-top adorableness aside, I'm pleased with how the kittens are doing so far: they're eating, drinking, peeing (in the litterbox), pooping (in the litterbox), playing, sleeping and doing all the other things little kittens should be doing at this age. Oh yeah, and they purr LOUDLY and often.
It's going to be a full holiday weekend at my house, for sure.
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